Absence of two players could help Huskies improve

Rich Elliott

Updated 11:44 pm, Thursday, November 14, 2013

COLLEGE PARK, Md. -- Geno Auriemma had been waiting for the UConn women's basketball team to face some adversity this season. He knew it would be beneficial for the overall growth of the Huskies and for the maturation process of the younger players.

By no means, however, was Auriemma calling for this. Being able to overcome a stretch of poor play in games is one thing. Overcoming the loss of two key players, including a preseason All-American, during the first week of the season was not on his wish list.

The top-ranked Huskies will face No. 8 Maryland tonight at the Comcast Center (6, ESPNU) without junior forward Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis, out indefinitely with a nerve contusion of the right elbow, and sophomore Morgan Tuck, who is expected to miss 4 to 6 weeks after undergoing right knee surgery Tuesday. UConn is left with only seven full-scholarship players.

"In K's situation, it's like losing two players," Auriemma said. "You lost a perimeter player and an inside player. And in Morgan's situation, you lost a post player who made two 3s (against Stanford). But it's a test for these guys. It's going to be a challenge, but I also think that there's some real benefits to having challenges like this. I really do."

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Tonight's matchup against Maryland (2-0) is the first of a two-game trip that concludes Sunday at No. 13 Penn State.

As one would expect, the Huskies (2-0) are not backing away from this challenge. They understand that the expectations remain the same at UConn whether the roster is full or depleted.

"I think we just focus on the moment right now," senior All-American Bria Hartley said. "This is the time for people to step up and I think we're going to go out there and we're going to prove that we are one of the best teams in the country regardless of injury or whatever happens."

Despite the loss of Mosqueda-Lewis and Tuck, the Huskies still boast three of the top players in the country with Hartley, who scored 11 of her 20 points after Mosqueda-Lewis was injured early in the second half Monday against Stanford, senior All-American Stefanie Dolson and sophomore preseason All-American Breanna Stewart.

All three players were keys to UConn's national championship run last season. All three will be keys during this current stretch.

"I don't think there will be any fundraisers for us around the country," Auriemma said. "There won't be any telethons, no `Race for the Huskies' to raise scholarship money or people loaning us players. I think people think we're going to be OK."

Three players are likely to be thrust into the spotlight: junior center Kiah Stokes, fresh off of a career game against Stanford (10 points, career-highs of 13 rebounds and six blocks), junior guard Brianna Banks and freshman Saniya Chong. Auriemma said he has not yet decided who will be the fifth starter tonight, along with sophomore point guard Moriah Jefferson, Hartley, Dolson and Stewart. Regardless of who starts, he is going to need quality minutes from Stokes, Banks and Chong.

"No one's going to have a perfect season where everyone's healthy all the time," Stokes said. "Having two of our best players out at the same time is really going to show how everyone else can step up."

There is likely to be some trying times over the next few weeks. Bench players will see an enhanced role. Stars will be asked to lead and carry the team. Yet, for a team that is measured by its performance during the NCAA tournament, this is a stretch that the Huskies believe will make them stronger in the long run.

"There's going to be an awful lot asked of the other seven that maybe wouldn't have been asked," Auriemma said. "So sometimes when you're playing and you look over at the bench and you see four or five guys, it's like, `Well if I do it, I do it. If I don't, I don't.' And now you have no choice, you have to do it. And sometimes I think that's good."